George Frideric Handel

George Frideric Handel was a German-born composer who spent most of his career in Britain and became a British subject. He is known for his operas, his oratorios, and his instrumental music, above all the Messiah.

Early Life and Education

Handel was born in Halle in 1685, the same year as Johann Sebastian Bach. His father was a barber-surgeon who opposed his musical ambitions.

He studied the law at the University of Halle but devoted himself to the music. He worked as an organist at the cathedral of Halle.

He travelled to Italy and absorbed the Italian operatic style. He composed the operas and the sacred works and gained a reputation as a composer.

The Operas and the London Career

Handel settled in London in 1712 and became a naturalised British subject in 1727. He composed the Italian operas for the audience of the city.

He was the director of the Royal Academy of Music and produced a series of the operas. The works include Giulio Cesare and Rinaldo.

He composed the Water Music for King George I and the Music for the Royal Fireworks for King George II. The works are among the most popular of the orchestral music.

He wrote the Coronation Anthems for the coronation of George II. The anthem Zadok the Priest has been performed at every coronation since.

The Oratorios

Handel turned to the oratorio in the 1730s as the popularity of the Italian opera declined. The oratorios were performed in the theatres during Lent.

The Messiah was composed in 1741 and received its first performance in Dublin in 1742. The work is the most famous of all the oratorios.

The Messiah is based on the texts from the Bible and tells the story of the redemption. The Hallelujah Chorus is one of the most recognisable pieces of the choral music.

The other oratorios include Israel in Egypt, Saul, and Solomon. The works reflect the range of his invention and the depth of his expression.

The Later Years and the Legacy

Handel was blind in his last years and dictated the revisions of his works. He continued to conduct and to perform until shortly before his death.

He died in 1759 in London and was buried in Westminster Abbey. The state gave him a public funeral and a monument.

He left a large number of the works to the Foundling Hospital. The performance of the Messiah became an annual charity event.

He is regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Baroque period. His works are performed throughout the world and the Messiah remains one of the most loved of the choral works.

The Operas and the Theatre

Handel composed more than forty Italian operas. The works established the form of the opera seria in London.

He directed the Royal Academy of Music and produced the works of the leading singers. The castrato Senesino and the soprano Francesca Cuzzoni were among the stars.

The operas include Giulio Cesare, Rinaldo, and Alcina. The works are admired for the melodic invention and the dramatic character.

The Instrumental Music

Handel composed the Water Music and the Music for the Royal Fireworks. The works are the most popular of the orchestral music of the period.

He composed the concerti grossi and the organ concertos. The works show the range of his invention.

He composed the Coronation Anthems for the coronation of George II. The anthem Zadok the Priest has been performed at every coronation since.

The Honours and the Memory

Handel was buried in Westminster Abbey and the state gave him a public funeral. A monument was erected in his memory in the abbey.

The Handel House Museum occupies the house in London where he lived. It contains the collection of his manuscripts and the instruments.

He is regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Baroque period. The Messiah remains one of the most loved of the choral works.

The Early Career and the Travels

Handel studied the law at the University of Halle but devoted himself to the music. He worked as an organist at the cathedral of Halle.

He travelled to Italy and absorbed the Italian operatic style. He composed the operas and the sacred works in Florence, Rome, and Venice.

He settled in London in 1712 and became a naturalised British subject in 1727. He was a favourite of the royal family.

The Personal Life

Handel never married and the details of his private life are little known. He was a large man with a robust constitution and a hearty appetite.

He was a devout Anglican and a generous supporter of the charity. He gave the performances of the Messiah for the benefit of the Foundling Hospital.

He was blind in his last years and dictated the revisions of his works. He died in 1759 in London and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

See also

• Baroque music
• Oratorio
• Messiah
• Opera